GRAFFITI MEN BEYROUTH

SARAH CLAUX

10 November 2018, 6 PM
- 7 PM

Torn between the West and the East, Lebanese graffiti artists reproduce their European and American models' heritage and adapt it to their contemporary issues by stepping aside from the established image of street art. The fundamental concern remains the same; only the context changes: try and forget the war, the refugee crisis, the lack of political attention, unemployment, and the struggle against freedom restriction.

In the country of cedar trees, this new movement in street art gives a fresh voice to a youth who has long been ignored by its nation. Since the birth of the graffiti scene, these artists no longer fear to condemn their elders' conservatism publicly. They feel responsible for expressing a generation's frustration with this new way of expression, which is often used to relay strong messaging of discontent. While facing their families and communities’ daily pressures, graffiti artists challenge social constraints and express their thirst for independence, and their desire for freedom and individualism.